Tatum Takes Down Great Southern Billiards Field

A determined John Maikee delivered a late hit to BR Tatum at the August 22-23 Great Southern Billiard Tour stop, but it wasn’t enough to take the veteran player’s eyes off the top prize. Tatum and Maikee were among the field of 30 that gathered at Classic Billiards in Conyers, GA, for the $1,500-added event, which was sponsored by Nick Varner Cues and Cases and Andy Gilbert Custom Cues.

A determined John Maikee delivered a late hit to BR Tatum at the August 22-23 Great Southern Billiard Tour stop, but it wasn’t enough to take the veteran player’s eyes off the top prize.B-ranked Tatum got past A-ranked Jordan Grubb 7-7 to reach the hot seat match against AA-ranked Clint McCullough, who’d breezed past B-ranked Jack Fernandez 10-1. Tatum held his own against McCullough, reaching his goal of seven games, while McCullough came up two racks shy of his own goal of ten.

On the one-loss side, past winner Horace “Groundhog” Goodwin, who’d fallen earlier to fellow winner Grubb, squeaked past B-ranked Jamie Lowery 9-6 to face James Bryson, who’d ousted junior player Dylan Letchworth 7-2. Bryson got that score flipped on him, though, and he landed in seventh 9-2. Meanwhile, Maikee, who’d been on the left side since his first-round loss to Chris Chamberlain, edged out fellow A-player Jeff Hooks 9-8 to meet up with B-ranked Dave Shadden, who’d taken care of A-ranked Casey Joiner 7-2. Shadden managed just two games against Maikee to land in fifth, though, while Maikee moved on to Fernadez. After taking care of Fernandez 9-6, Maikee advanced to the quarterfinals against Goodwin, who’d exacted his revenge on Grubb 9-8. Taking control of the match, Maikee put Goodwin in fourth 9-7 to move on to the semifinals against McCullough, and a tight 9-8 victory put him into the finals against Tatum.

In the true double-elimination final match, Maikee, who was looking for his first Great Southern Billiard Tour victory, blew through the first set 9-2 to push the second set. But there, a steady-shooting Tatum pushed the match hill-hill, marking up the final game to earn his first tour win 7-8.